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Thursday, July 07, 2005

British Muslims - Don’t subscribe to the notions of collective shame and guilt!

April 19th, 1995 - The Alfred Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed. Media reported sightings of middle-eastern looking men. Terrorism experts in the media analyzed the middle-eastern/Muslim connection with the bombing. Even Clinton responded to a reporter that he would bomb the country the "perps" came from. All thru this some mosques were razed to the ground, few "middle-eastern looking" businessmen were pulled off planes and questioned/harassed. An unfortunate one, who had a jogging suit and sneakers in his baggage was detained and brought home from Europe to be questioned, and bias attacks against muslim looking people spiked upwards.

But the bomber turned out to be a white supremacist, former soldier of the US Army. However, Like his other promises, Clinton failed to deliver. He didn't bomb the US! Different media experts were called upon to divert public attention and the Muslims unjustly affected were told to fugget-a-bout-it!

July 7, 2005 – The string of bombings in London may be the work of a Muslim group. Or it may not be. As of 15:46 (about 20 minutes ago) London time today, BBC reported that “London police say there have been no arrests in connection with the blasts so far and that they are "keeping an open mind as to who the perpetrators might be".” Regardless of who the perps are, it is the civic duty of the British Muslims to help the victims in any way they can and condemn the attack on innocent commuters.

Offering apologies, even if the attackers are Muslims, implies acceptance of guilt! And then it becomes so much easier for others to continue to blame Muslims. The Muslim Council of Britain along with other religious leaders have already condemned the attack.

To the malevolent racists in the media, the condemnation will never be enough. After 9-11, the Fox News claimed for years that Muslim Groups failed to condemn the attacks. After reminder by a CAIR representative, the number of times and dates when Muslim leaders and groups condemned the attack, the accusation shifted to “failed to condemn enough”. Fact that 600 out of 3000 (20%) of the casualties in the WTC attack were Muslim was conveniently forgotten by the media and our leaders as well!

12 comment(s):

Indymedia UK Statement on London bombsShort statement on the bombs in London today:

"Indymedia UK stands in solidarity with all the victims of today's horrific attacks in London. We share the disgust felt by all about these acts and their perpetrators, our thoughts are with the victims and their families. We are also acutely aware that these events will be exploited by the most reactionary elements of the British media and political establishment for their own selfish purposes.

We are particularly concerned about a possible backlash against Britain's Muslim community as we saw following 9/11 in the USA. We urge all activists involved in progressive politics to do everything they can to stop this from happening. Now is the time to be building bridges between all communities as we have seen with the anti-war movement. Don't feel helpless, do something.

We will continue to give a voice to all who have an opinion on these events and have little or no voice in the mainstream media. Our usual editorial guidelines apply.

I agree. I agree wholeheartedly. No other group, ANYWHERE is EVER commanded to speak out in groveling, debasing repentance each time someone commits a horrible crime, even when it is in their name, even when it happens repeatedly.

This attitude presumes our guilt and complicity and stems from the most racist and priviledged notions of white supremacy that still plagues the world.

I agree. I agree wholeheartedly. No other group, ANYWHERE is EVER commanded to speak out in groveling, debasing repentance each time someone commits a horrible crime, even when it is in their name, even when it happens repeatedly.

This attitude presumes our guilt and complicity and stems from the most racist and privileged notions of white supremacy that still plagues the world.

Fox News' Brian Kilmeade: London terror attack near G8 summit "works to ... Western world's advantage, for people to experience something like this together"

The following exchange between Fox News host Brian Kilmeade and Fox News business contributor and substitute host Stuart Varney occurred during breaking news coverage of the attacks on London subways and buses on the July 7 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:

KILMEADE: And he [British Prime Minister Tony Blair] made the statement, clearly shaken, but clearly determined. This is his second address in the last hour. First to the people of London, and now at the G8 summit, where their topic Number 1 --believe it or not-- was global warming, the second was African aid. And that was the first time since 9-11 when they should know, and they do know now, that terrorism should be Number 1. But it's important for them all to be together. I think that works to our advantage, in the Western world's advantage, for people to experience something like this together, just 500 miles from where the attacks have happened.

VARNEY: It puts the Number 1 issue right back on the front burner right at the point where all these world leaders are meeting. It takes global warming off the front burner. It takes African aid off the front burner. It sticks terrorism and the fight on the war on terror, right up front all over again.

Anonymous you are reading into what is being written, instead of actually reading it. There is no yeah, but. We can condemn these attacks, mourn and pray for the victims withouth APOLOGIZING and accepting responsibility for acts that we have *NO* responsibility for.

If someone gave you a heads up on these attacks before they occured, then you should be grovelin in repentance for doing nothing. If, however, like the millions upon millions of other Muslims you had no knowledge of the attackers or their plans then there is nothing to apologize for. And for the record, I have yet to apologize to any of my beloved Iraqi brothers and sisters for America's invasion of their country. I don't plan to. They know where I stand.

This brings up an interesting point: "We" are always judged individually, but "they" are always judged collectively. Like Yusuf, I remember when President Clinton promised to bomb, or destroy, "terrorists and the states that harbor them" after the Oklahoma City bombing. And of course he did not bomb or attack the U.S. state that 'harbored' Timothy McVay. The idea he would bomb a U.S. state is rightfully seen as silly, a sick joke in poor taste. Yet that is exactly the way the U.S. operates when dealing with Iraq, Afghanistan--anywhere seen as the other. Black people are very familiar with this dynamic. For years in U.S. newspapers a White rapist or murderer was Bill Smith, an individual, but a Black murderer was Black Murderer Bill Smith, and all Black people were blamed for his actions. In the face of the London attacks and ongoing U.S. foreign policy, I have felt deep shame as a Muslim and as an American. Thanks for reminding me that I don't have to.

Good posts and points. I covered the same subject at my blog: abusinan.blogspot.com Why are Muslims to blame for the actions of a few when all Christians were not held, or even expected, to be guilty or shamed because of the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Muslims by Christians in Bosnia? Why are not all Jews supposed to be shamed for 50 years of mistreatment of Palestinians?

I reject notions of collective guilt for Muslims and Arabs just as I reject them for Jews, Christians, Serbs, or Americans.

I have met Kamal Nawash. He came to our local mosque in DC looking for votes. He is a joke. He openly admitted he is not a practicing Muslim, yet comes and panders at Friday prayers for vote. Hypocrite.